Tuesday, 31 December 2013

ZK-OST (c/n 1543E) is an Avid Flyer Heavy Hauler built by Darryl Ostrer of Wylies Crossing and was first registered to him on 16/1/03. It was sold to Peter Karl of Hamilton (who features in the ownership of several Avids), on 18/6/12. The above photo was taken at the Classic Fighters airshow at Omaka on 29/3/13, by Blue Bus.

ZK-PCL (c/n 1388) is an Avid Flyer Mark IV STOL model which was built by Brian leach of Matakana, and was first registered on 21/1/04. It is still owned by him. The above photo was taken at the Black Sands flyin at Raglan.

ZK-CLC (c/n 83M) is an inported Avid Aircraft Magnum that was ex N180VL. It was imported into New Zealand by Charles Carter of Collingwood and was first registered here on 2/10/07. Being an Avid Magnum, it is a much strengthened airframe from the rest of our Avids (see the introduction in Avid Flyers of New Zealand (1)), and it has an O-360 motor of around 160 HP. It was assembled at Rangiora where Blue Bus took the photo, and it first flew here on 2/11/07. It was sold to John campbell Trust Ltd of Huntly on 11/1/10 and it is still current.

ZK-DDB (c/n 1460D) is a Mark IV model that was built by Andrew McNeal of Whangarei, and it was first registered to him on 17/5/10. We are fortunate to have a photo of it as it crashed on an early test flight at Whangarei. Greybeard happened to be at the right place at the right time to take the photo on 2/7/10 - thanks for the photo. Andrew McNeal told me that he is rebuilding the aircraft and it is nearly finished, so we will see it flying again.

And our final Avid Flyer to date is another imported model. ZK-KJL (c/n 545) was built as N78HW and was imported into New Zealand by David Laidlow of Rotorua, and first registered here on 25/8/11. It is photo'd above in its hangar at Rotorua in its American colour scheme by Flyernzl on 11/2/12.

David Laidlow told me that following a closer inspection of ZK-KJL, some areas of concern were evident and he decided to have the aircraft rebuilt and recovered by Colin Sutherland at Rotorua. This work has recently been completed and the aircraft delivered back to Rotorua after weight and balance certification at Tauranga, where David took the above photo recently. Thanks to David Laidlow for the photo.

That completes the histories of the 22 Avid Flyers that we have had in New Zealand to date. As with the Kitfox, it is likely that we may see further Avids in New Zealand, especially as they too are quite importable.

However, there has been one other very different Avid in New Zealand that I will post next.

This beautiful beast was getting ready to leave, Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV Gulfstream IV, N113CS c/n:1049 built in 2003 registered to 113CS LLC out of Conneticut. Sadly I couldnt wait for it to take off.

Finally another Beechcraft King Air C90SE c/n:LJ-1367, ZK-MKG operated by Air Wanganui.

Thanks to Geoff Lloyd we have a pic of the Cessna U2006F ZK-PCS (c/n U206F-02433) ["Beth" on its engine cowl] getting some attention at Masterton yesterday (29-12-2013).

I wonder what was found in that tail end ?

This is the only time I have seen this aircraft on "dry" land.

A 1974 model which had a busy career in Canada as C-GBCS before arriving in NZ in 1997 to become ZK-PCS on 20-05-1997 with Westland Air Charter Ltd. It was listed to Westland Flying Ltd of Hokitika on 03-10-1997 and returned to Westland Air Charter Ltd on 11-01-1999.

It was based on Lake Brunner until moving up to Picton Harbour in March of 2006.

Below is how I remember it. Picton on 16-02-2009.

I notice that late in November the Cessna U206G Stationair ZK-MCG was transferred from Cludden Station to Westland Air Charter Ltd of Picton. So (can) I assume that MCG now wears the "boots" ?

Sunday, 29 December 2013

ZK-CAD (c/n 1207) is an Avid Mark IV which was built by William D Witherow of Dunedin, and it was first registered to him on 19/12/95. It is photo'd above at the 2001 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton. It overturned in soft sand at the Taieri River Mouth on 1/4/06, but was repaired and is still current.

ZK-DBM (c/n 1461) is Don Mahon's second Avid Flyer. It is a Mark IV model that he first registered on 13/11 96, and it is still owned by Don and is current (although not often seen away from its base in Arrowtown). Thanks to Don Mahon for the photo.

ZK-JHW (c/n 1434D) is another Mark IV Avid Flyer, that was built by B S McKenzie of Auckland and first registered on 17/4/97. It went to B W Ford of Hamilton on 24/3/00 then to P J Havill of Wellington on 24/2/02. It was rebuilt in 2003, flying again on 18/10/03, based at Feilding. It flew to the Chatham Islands in company with John Bolton-Riley's Sky Arrow ZK-EBR on 9/4/04 and returned on 13/4/04 - a pretty impressive flight for an Avid Flyer. It was then sold briefly to the Kaitaia Aero Club, on 3/2/07 and finally to G M Porter of Christchurch on 21/11/07. It is photo'd above in the old hangar at Wigram in December 2007.

It was then re-covered again and appeared in this mainly silver scheme as photo'd at the 2011 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton. It is still current. Thanks to Blue Bus for the above photos of ZK-JHW.

ZK-WEN (c/n 1226D), an Avid Flyer Heavy Hauler (Ultralight!) model built by Warren Newland of New Plymouth. It was first registered on 12/12/97 as has a Jabiru 2200 engine. Warren Newland moved to Whangarei and then sold ZK-WEN to H B Jenkin of Auckland on 3/12/02 under whose ownership it is photo'd at Pikes Point. It then went to P J Karl of Ohaupo on 26/7/05 for a short time, and finally to G I Royds of Ashburton on 10/10/05. It is still current.

ZK-SMH (c/n 745) is another Avid Flyer Heavy Hauler, built by Bill Irwin of Cromwell. It was first registered on 10/2/99 and is also not seen much outside its home base. Thanks to Bill Irwin for the above photo. Bill still owns ZK-SMH.

ZK-DLR (c/n 1542D) is a Mark IV model, and is our only tri-gear Avid Flyer. It was built by Lionel Reeve of Tauranga. It was first registered on 3/5/00 and is still owned by Lionel Reeve. The above photo was taken at the 2002 SAANZ flyin at Matamata.

Saturday, 28 December 2013

Firstly, Cessna 172 ZK-CAB.
Imported directly from the Cessna factory (where it received the temporary registration of N7918X) by the agents, Rural Aviation, in 1961, it went online with the Gisborne Aero Club.
The aircraft lasted less than five years, being destroyed when it crashed into a hillside at Pehiri, Gisborne, 3pm 2Feb66.

ZK-CAB seen at the opening of the Rotokawa airport, Rotorua, 3Oct1964 - in the days when the public were actually allowed near aeroplanes!

Secondly, Cessna A188A Agwagon ZK-COP.
Imported new by Rex Aviation and first flown here on 8Oct1966, ZK-COP served with Rural Aviation (1963) Ltd. based out of New Plymouth.
Again, it was a short-lived aircraft, crashing at Upper Tutaenui near Marton, on 25Feb1970 killing veteran ag-pilot Barry Sait.

ZK-COP at Ardmore 8Jun1968

Thirdly Boeing 737-33A ZK-JNE.
After some ten years service in foreign parts, this 737 briefly became VH-JNE with Ansett in Australia and New Zealand before becoming ZK-JNE with Jetconnect Ltd. in October 2002. Jetconnect operated as Ansett New Zealand, and ZK-JNE carried the Qantas coloiurs in NZ before eventually departing for the UK as G-STRJ in April 2005.

ZK-JNE at Auckland International in 2004

So what do these three aircraft have in common?

The answer is a Tomahawk.

One particular Tomahawk, which has inherited all three of these registrations.

PA38-112 Tomahawk c/n N2463D was built by Piper at Lock Haven in 1979 and, after service in the USA as N2463D, arrived in NZ in 1997 to become ZK-CAB/2 under the ownership of A A Qazi of Auckland on 20Aug1997.
After a brief tussle with CAA, which saw the aircraft deregistered and then restored to the register in mid-2000, it spent some time on-line with the RNZAF Auckland Aviation Sports Club Inc. based at Whenuapai (where I flew it).
Listed through aircraft broker Dennis Thompson at Ardmore, it was sold to the Bellview Flight Centre Ltd. of Christchurch in April 2002 and finally moved to the Nelson Aero Club in January 2004.

ZK-CAB/2 at Ardmore early 2002

The registration ZK-CAB/2 was cancelled on 10Jul2006 and the Tomahawk became ZK-JNE/2 on the same day under the ownership of the Wellington Aero Club.
C Mirchell-Anyon, Wanganui became the owner in October 2010, and the aircraft returned to Wellington with Roc On Aviation Ltd. in June 2012.
The final owner of ZK-JNE/2 was Undercover Brother Air Ltd., Auckland, in June 2013.

ZK-JNE/2 at Whenuapai 30Aug2013

The Tomahawk then almost immediatly entered the workshops for a full strip, rebuild and repaint.
On the 12th December, ZK-JNE/2 became ZK-COP/2 with the same owners.

The prototype Auster J-1B Aiglet was a conversion of a stored Auster J-1 airframe (G-AJUW c/n 2634). A 130hp Gipsy Major 1 engine was installed and a larger horn balanced rudder was fitted. Including the prototype there were 87 J-1B's built with ZK-AZU being the 69th.

ZK-AZU (c/n 2752) was imported by Auster Air Services Ltd of Timaru and registered on 11-09-1952.

Photo below taken at Timaru - I believe by Des White - shows ZK-AZU with its original Auster Air Services script on its tail and before the hopper was fitted.

I believe this was the first Auster in NZ to be fitted with a hopper.

On the 4th of April 1960 ownership was changed to Aerial Sowing (Canterbury) Ltd.

The above photo was copied from a print on the wall of the Waimate Aero Club during the recent 50th anniversary fly-in during November.

It is labelled as being taken during a spray operation on the Sue Hoy property on SH1 at Willowbridge (near Waimate) about 1966.

Some time in the late 1960's it passed to H E Cederman of Timaru followed by C E Barker of Lower
Hutt.
Below is a pic - date unknown - at what looks like Omaka - I believe the pic comes from the Des White collection.

Pic above is from Allan Wooller and shows ZK-AZU at Paraparaumu on 18-09-1968.
It had a small incident in the Tinline (Abel Tasman area ?) area on 26-08-1969.

It moved back down south to Geoff Royds and A J Johnstone of Ashburton from 15-07-1970 and is seen below flying in that general area. (Photo source unknown).

Next owners were John Richards and M Neason of Queenstown from 12-06-1974.

I believe it was damaged in a storm at Mount Cook in the mid to late 70's.

Then I lost track of her until it was cancelled on 30-05-1991.

I have a feeling it may have gone into storage with Peter
Paul Morrison at Warkworth and that parts may have been used in the rework of Auster ZK-AYO.

Friday, 27 December 2013

Piper PA-28-180D Cherokee c/n 28-4720 was built as N6308J and was operated by one E E Brick in California before being shipped to NZ aboard the MV Slevik - arriving in Auckland on 14-06-1971. It first flew here on 03-07-1971 having been registered as ZK-DFL on 23-06-1971 to Dennis Thompson International Ltd at Ardmore.

It was then listed to the Northern Wairoa Aero Club of Dargaville on 11-01-1972

And below it was sited at Masterton on 27-02-1972.

And is seen below outside the Wanganui Aero Club hangar in December of 1972.

Pic from Allan Wooller.

Below - I spied it at Pukekohe on 08-02-1973.

Ownership changed to D W Andrew and P R Julian of Helensville on 23-08-1973 and it is seen below - thanks to CMM - outside the Airwork hangar at Christchurch in September of 1973

A year later (16-08-1974) it was with the North Shore Aero Club of Albany followed by a move down to Hamilton to Eagle Aviation Ltd from 05-03-1976.

Below we have another pic from the CMM collection showing ZK-DFL at Christchurch.

Dated April of 1976.

It had the "Eagle" insignia added to its tail and is seen below at Hamilton in 1978.

It hadn't changed much by 03-09-1979 - below - captured at Hamilton.

A series of owners followed in reasonably quick succession : R van Steen of Hamilton from 08-07-1981; Ranui Station at Manutuke from 02-09-1982; J W Pike also of Manutuke from 22-10-1982 and then to J W Pike and T N Williams on 29-03-1985.

By 25-09-1985 it was in the care of B N MacDonald of Te Puke. On 10-11-1988 it was listed with A L Donkin, M W Stewart and J K Illingworth of Cambridge.

Next in line was K A Burns of Franz Josef from 03-04-1990.

Below we see DFL at Timaru on 03-11-1992 in a new paint scheme and with "Redacair" and some graphics on its tail.

Hanmer Alpine Air Ltd appear in the paper work from 23-05-1994 followed by the Beattie, Lane and Roswell Syndicate of Hanmer Springs on 15-08-1995.

It moved back up North to Simon Norton of Waiheki Island from 09-02-1998 and took up with its current operator - the Kapiti Districts Aero Club (Inc) from 28-03-2002.

Tuesday, 24 December 2013

A very dull day at Christchurch International today - meteorologically speaking - with a thick altocumulus/altostratus North West Arch overhead.

During my mid morning buzz though I managed to capture two aircraft that have not graced this blog until now.

Above is the Piper PA-28-180D Cherokee ZK-DFL (c/n 28-4720). DTI imported it and it first flew in NZ on 03-07-1971 and went up to the Northern Wairoa Aero Club at Dargaville in January of 1972. It had at least thirteen more owner/operators before becoming part of the Kapiti Districts Aero Club at Paraparaumu from 28-03-2002.

On the other side of the Field was the Bombardier DHC-8-311 ZK-NFA2 (c/n 659) of Air Nelson Ltd. This has been in country since May of 2008.